Method of and apparatus for feeding flexible pouches

ABSTRACT

A method of and apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product. In order to ensure that the food product is evenly distributed within the flexible pouch prior to subjecting it to a controlled temperature-time-pressure heating cycle, the pouches are fed to a processing station where they are vibrated within a vacuum pocket formed on the conveyor feed belt means. The vacuum pocket is formed by folding the marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt to form a substantially U-shaped trough. Partition means define the ends of the pockets along the conveyor and a cover means engages both the partition means and marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt to form an airtight pocket. An aperture is provided in each pocket to communicate with a source of vacuum. The vacuum causes the pouches to expand or puff up in which condition they are vibrated to effect a substantially uniform distribution of the food product within each pouch.

United States Patent [72] Inventors JamesLJlutcheson Richmond; Nicholas Constantino, Henrico County, both of, Va. [21] Appl. No. 18,207 [22] Filed Mar. 10,1970 [45] Patented Sept. 14,1971 [73] Assignee Reynolds Metals Company Richmond, Va.

[54] METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLEXIBLE POUCI-IES 24 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 259/54, 53/126 [51] 1nt.C1 B01tll/00 [50] Field of Search 259/54, 59, 91,72;53/126;99/359,360, 367

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,078,774 4/1937 53/126 2,481,611 9/1949 53/126X 2,528,680 11/1950 259/54X 2,542,451 2/1951 259/54 2,877,704 3/1959 Morris 53/126 X 3,096,081 7/1963 Helm... 53/126 X 3,103,089 9/1963 Allen 53/126 X 3,358,415 12/1967 Kurfirst 53/126 X 3,376,905 4/1968 Lau 259/54 X 3,382,643 5/1968 Hullhorst 53/126 Primary Examiner-Robert W. Jenkins AttorneyGlenn, Palmer, Lyne, Gibbs & Thompson ABSTRACT: A method of and apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product. 1n order to ensure that the food product is evenly distributed within the flexible pouch prior to subjecting it to a controlled temperature-time-pressure heating cycle, the pouches are fed to a processing station where they are vibrated within a vacuum pocket formed on the conveyor feed belt means. The vacuum pocket is formed by folding the marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt to form a substantially U-shaped trough. Partition means define the ends of the pockets along the conveyor and a cover means engages both the partition means and marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt to form an airtight pocket. An aperture is provided in each pocket to communicate with a source of vacuum. The vacuum causes the pouches to expand or puff up in which condition they are vibrated to effect a substantially uniform distribution of the food product within each pouch.

METHOD OF AND APPARATUS FOR FEEDING FLEXIBLE POUCHES This invention relates to a method of and apparatus for feeding flexible pouches, and more particularly, to a method of and apparatus for effecting even distribution of a food product on a continuous basis while feeding pouches toward and away from a processing station en route to a retort or other cooking means.

It has been known heretofore to feed a food product contained within a flexible pouch and to subject the package to a controlled temperature-time-pressure heating cycle within a retort or other cooking vessel. If the food product is not substantially evenly distributed within the pouch, the food will not be cooked evenly throughout and thereby result in a less satisfactory product.

In bagmaking machines of the type used to fill flexible pouches, it is customary to feed the flexible packaging material in strip or web form to provide a folded bottom construction and then to form the longitudinal seams, usually by a heatsealing means. The strip or web is severed to from individual pouches. They are then presented to a filling machine where a measured quantity of a food product is introduced into the pouches through the open tops thereof. Thereafter, the top seam is effected.

Because the pouches are in a vertical position when filled, gravity tends to induce a greater thickness of food product nearer the bottom than the top of the pouch. Regardless of whether the unevenness of food product is induced by gravity or by an anomaly in the food product itself or its handling en route to the retort or cooker, it is still desirable to effect a final shakedown or leveling of the thickness of the food product before the pouches are fed into the retort or cooker.

While it is possible to handle each pouch manually and to subject each pouch to a shaking operation, such a procedure would not be acceptable by virtue of the time, effort and expense involved.

In accordance with the present invention, the desirable result of effecting an even distribution of food product within a pouch is effected automatically and continuously. In a preferred form of the present invention, pouches are fed toward and away from a processing station along a conveyor belt means. An individual pouch is placed between a pair of partition means which define the ends of a vacuum pocket at the processing station. The marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt are folded into a substantially U-shaped trough at the processing station and a cover means in the form of a continuous overhead conveyor forms an airtight seal with the partition means and the marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt. Each pocket thus formed is provided with at least one aperture preferably in the form of holes predrilled in the marginal edge portions of the conveyor belt. Each aperture communicates with a source of vacuum preferably through a slot in the folding means whereby a vacuum may be drawn on each pocket thus formed. The vacuum causes the individual pouch within the pocket to expand or puff up at which time a vibrating means shakes the pouch so as to effect a leveling of the product within the pouch. Thereafter, the vacuum is broken and the pouch delivered to the retort where it is subjected to a controlled temperatureqime-pressure heating cycle.

The inherent advantages and improvements of the present invention will become more readily apparent upon considering the following detailed description of the invention and by reference to the drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the pouch-feeding means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the conveyor belt means used to feed the pouches to a processing station; and,

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view taken in vertical elevation along line 3-3 of FIG. 1. 7

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, there is illustrated the feeding of pouches 10 from a chute or input conveyor indicated generally at 12 to a main conveyor belt means indicated generally at 14. The conveyor belt means I4 carries pouches 10 toward and away from a processing station indicated generally at 16 in FIG. 1. Individual pouches 10 are carried between individual cleats or partition means 18 carried by conveyor belt means 14. Pouches 10 are deposited on the upper flight 20 of the conveyor belt means 14 toward a folding means indicated generally at 22.

Reference to FIGS. 1 and 3 show that folding means 22 comprises a bottom or central portion 24 and upstanding sidewalls 26.

As best seen in FIG. 2, conveyor belt means 14 has a pair of marginal edge portions 28 and 30 which extend laterally beyond the partition means 18. Holes or aperture means 32 are provided in each marginal edge portions 28 and 30 of conveyor belt means 14.

As best seen in FIG. 3, with the advance of the conveyor belt means 14, as indicated by the arrows in FIG. 1, upper flight 20 of conveyor belt means 14 is folded from the substantially flat position of FIG. 2 to a substantially U-shaped trough position in FIG. 3. The partitions l8 and conveyor belt means 14 and folding means 22 are so constructed and arranged that the marginal edge portions 28 and 30 of conveyor belt means 14 engage the side edges of partition means 18. Furthermore, the holes or apertures means 32 when folded into the substantially U-shaped trough of FIG. 3 are in alignment with longitudinal slot means 34 in the sidewall 26 of folding means 22 so that a pair of manifolds 36 carried by the folding means 22 have passageway means 40 therein which, through the intermediary of pipe or conduit means 42, provide direct communication to a vacuum pump 44 which establishes a source of vacuum.

Reference to FIGS. I and 3 illustrates the useof an overhead conveyor or cover means 46 in order to complete the individual vacuum pockets or enclosures which contain each pouch 10. The overhead conveyor 46 is provided with a soft belt the lower flights 48 of which makes contact with the upper surface of cleats or partition means 18 as well as the edges of the marginal edge portions 28 and 30 to seal off individual compartments or pockets within which an individual pouch is contained. Thus the vacuum drawn from the pocket or compartment through apertures 32, slot means 34, passageway 40 in manifolds 36, and then through conduit means 42 in order to expand or puff up the individual container 10 to the position indicated in phantom lines at 10a in FIG. 3. In this position, the vibrating means 50 attached to the folding means 22 by means of its attachment plate 52 levels out the product within the pouch. As the pockets or compartments leave the processing station 16 wherein the vacuum and vibration occurs, the conveyor belt means 14 passes beyond the sidewalls 26 of the folding means 22 whereby the upper flight 20 resumes its flat position for the transfer of the pouches to a retort or other cooking means by any suitable delivery means.

While a single aperture 32 in the conveyor belt means 14 may be suitable to achieve the desired results of leveling out of the product, it is preferred to use a pair of apertures 32 so as to be able to draw a vacuum within the pockets more rapidly. The nature of the chute or input conveyor 12 is immaterial insofar as the present invention is concerned.

While presently preferred embodiments of the invention have been illustrated and described, it will be recognized that the invention may be otherwise variously embodied and practiced within the scope of the claims which follow.

What is claimed is:

1. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product comprising:

a. conveyor belt means for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product toward and away from a processing station,

b. folding means for folding the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means to form a substantially U- shaped trough at said processing station,

c. partition means for defining the ends of pocket along said conveyor belt means at said processing station,

d. cover means engageable with and forming an airtight seal with said partition means and with said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means,

e. each pocket formed by said U-shaped trough, said partition means and said cover means having at least one aperture associated therewith,

f. means for drawing a vacuum through said aperture associated with each pocket,

g. and means for vibrating said pouches at said processing station whereby said food product is leveled within said pouches.

2. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.

3. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.

4. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is located in said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.

5. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.

6. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said folding means has a longitudinal slot means communicating with said apertures and extending across a plurality of pockets whereby a vacuum may be drawn on a plurality of pockets simultaneously.

7. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.

8. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.

9. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.

10. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said folding means carries manifold means exteriorly thereof, said manifold means having passageway means communicating from said vacuum means through said slot means to said aperture in said pocket.

11. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 10 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.

12. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.

13. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in each marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.

14. An apparatus 'for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said cover means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.

15. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for vibrating said pouches is attached to said folding means.

16. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 15 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conve or belt means.

7. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.

18. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.

19. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said cover means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.

20. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches fed along a conveyor belt means having longitudinally spaced partitions upstanding therefrom and aperture means between said partitions, comprising the steps of a. feeding said flexible pouches to and from a processing station along said conveyor belt means,

b. folding into a substantially U-shaped trough the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means to conform tightly to the upstanding edges of said longitudinally spaced partitions,

c. covering said U-shaped trough to form a series of pockets at said processing station,

d. drawing a vacuum through said aperture means,

e. and vibrating said pouches while maintaining said vacuum to effect a leveling of said food product within said pouches.

21. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 20 including the additional step of continuously advancing said conveyor belt means into, through, and from said processing station.

22. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 21 including the additional step of releasing said vacuum after said pouches leave said processing station.

23. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 22 wherein said vacuum is released after said pouches leave said processing station by unfolding the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.

24. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 20 wherein said step of covering said U-shaped trough to form a series of pockets is effected by continuous belt means of a second conveyor advancing in the same direction as said pouches. 

1. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product comprising: a. conveyor belt means for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product toward and away from a processing station, b. folding means for folding the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means to form a substantially U-shaped trough at said processing station, c. partition means for defining the ends of pocket along said conveyor belt means at said processing station, d. cover means engageable with and forming an airtight seal with said partition means and with said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means, e. each pocket formed by said U-shaped trough, said partition means and said cover means having at least one aperture associated therewith, f. means for drawing a vacuum through said aperture associated with each pocket, g. and means for vibrating said pouches at said processing station whereby said food product is leveled within said pouches.
 2. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.
 3. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.
 4. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is located in said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.
 5. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said conveyor means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.
 6. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said folding means has a longitudinal slot means communicating with said apertures and extending across a plurality of pockets whereby a vacuum may be drawn on a plurality of pockets simultaneously.
 7. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.
 8. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.
 9. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said cover means comprises a seCond conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.
 10. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 6 wherein said folding means carries manifold means exteriorly thereof, said manifold means having passageway means communicating from said vacuum means through said slot means to said aperture in said pocket.
 11. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 10 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.
 12. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.
 13. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in each marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.
 14. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 11 wherein said cover means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.
 15. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 1 wherein said means for vibrating said pouches is attached to said folding means.
 16. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 15 wherein said partition means is carried by and spaced longitudinally along said conveyor belt means.
 17. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said conveyor belt means.
 18. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said aperture associated with each pocket is in said marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.
 19. An apparatus for feeding flexible pouches filled with a food product as defined in claim 16 wherein said cover means comprises a second conveyor belt means mounted above said conveyor belt means for feeding said flexible pouches.
 20. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches fed along a conveyor belt means having longitudinally spaced partitions upstanding therefrom and aperture means between said partitions, comprising the steps of a. feeding said flexible pouches to and from a processing station along said conveyor belt means, b. folding into a substantially U-shaped trough the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means to conform tightly to the upstanding edges of said longitudinally spaced partitions, c. covering said U-shaped trough to form a series of pockets at said processing station, d. drawing a vacuum through said aperture means, e. and vibrating said pouches while maintaining said vacuum to effect a leveling of said food product within said pouches.
 21. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 20 including the additional step of continuously advancing said conveyor belt means into, through, and from said processing station.
 22. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 21 including the additional step of releasing said vacuum after said pouches leave said processing station.
 23. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 22 wherein said vacuum is released after said pouches leave said processing station by unfolding the marginal edge portions of said conveyor belt means.
 24. A method of effecting a leveling of a food product contained within flexible pouches as defined in claim 20 wherein said step of covering said U-shaped trough to form a series of pockets is effected by continuous belt means of a sEcond conveyor advancing in the same direction as said pouches. 